Average bookstore shelf life these days is just four months, unless you publicize your book avidly. So this month, in no particular order, a list of 19 ways to publicize your book… Create a holiday around the book’s theme or title, Create a contest that ties in to the book.

Producers at top TV and radio shows may receive hundreds of requests from authors to appear on their programs every day. The cover letter you send with your press kit must attract their attention quickly and make you stand out — in a positive way — from the other potential guests. This is more likely to occur if you utilize seven proven techniques for creating an effective one-page summary, each tip starting with the letter C. Your pitch letter can be more effective if it follows the “Seven Cs” of good communication strategy. It should be…

As each month goes by, there is more and more evidence that proves the internet has taken the publishing industry and pulled the dusty rug from beneath it. The Web 2.0 Quake as shaken many of the industry giants right down to their ink and paper foundations. And, bit-by-bit, the hallowed halls of the untouchables are crumbling around them.

‘Social networking’ has become the latest buzz phrase – but what is social networking exactly, and why would you want to get involved in it? The answer is that social networks—Facebook, LinkedIn, Ryze, Bebo, MySpace, etc—are fast becoming a phenomenon worth paying attention to, and are potentially poised to usurp many of the publicity and advertising dollars formerly vested in the more traditional media.

A month ago I would have told you that Facebook was a useless website where 15 years olds trash talked each other and otherwise wasted time. As a mater of fact, I originally opened my Facebook account to try to rummage around and see what my 16 year old was up to. Today I am convinced that Facebook should be considered a primary marketing tool by every self-publisher.

1. Get Reviews - The way most libraries make their purchasing decisions is via the reviews in the major trade journals—Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Foreword Magazine. So it’s important to be sure your book is reviewed in those publications. If you’ve published traditionally, you can expect your publisher to handle this step (though it can’t hurt to ask the publicist or editor if this will happen automatically—and follow through to make sure it does.)

1. Prospects will take calls.Stop worrying that your prospects do not want to speak with you. If your offer has value and you have done your homework, targeted your market and are able to speak about your product/service intelligently and articulately, most prospects will be more than happy to listen to what you have to say.